WALES coach Warren Gatland has admitted he IS considering his future already in the wake of the growing row between the Welsh Rugby Union and the four regions over the release of players.

Gatland asked for the squad players to be released for two weeks to prepare for the first November international against world champions South Africa, though that would have meant them missing their regions’ final EDF Energy Cup pool games.

When the regions refused he suggested a compromise whereby he would have them for the first three days of next week, return them to their regions for the EDF games and the have them back from the Monday prior to the game.

But that was also turned down flat and the regions dropped a bombshell by appointing former WRU group chief executive David Moffett, now living near Bridgend, as their spokesman to try to resolve all their grievances.

Gatland revealed at yesterday’s squad announcement that the International Rugby Board have now been asked to intervene to try to obtain the players next week as the row escalates.

And he has also revealed that he is so dismayed at the situation that he is questioning his future with Wales — hours after I forecast in yesterday’s weekly column that he would do just that.

“It’s been very disappointing and it’s taken a real gloss off my position,” a disconsolate Gatland said. “I’ve been pretty despondent over the whole thing. I said there are no winners here and asked why can’t the regions get together with us on this when a chief executive said ‘That’s Welsh rugby for you.’ I said ‘It’s not good enough.’ “I don’t see what the issue is, I’d have the players from Monday-Wednesday, let them back and then have them on the Monday. You feel frustrated the two sides can’t get together, as a Kiwi you’d shut the door and bang heads together until you came up with a solution.

“You might have to look at things, I’ve already questioned my position myself. “It’s no good for anyone to see a team well beaten that’s not prepared. You’re not doing any coaching, just organising, you put a team together and organise the best you can.

“There is a new participation agreement they are trying to sort out and I was hopeful we could go forward, I was totally unaware of this as under the present agreement there are 13 days before the autumn internationals and 13 before the Six Nations.

“At the start of the season it was important for me not to try to affect the regions with their training camps, then there were three games in a week, but I didn’t feel I was asking for anything extra.

“I have no issue with David Moffett speaking for the regions, if he’s the right person it doesn’t bother me, we should all be supportive of one another. “It’s not the people involved in the coal face, we are sending coaches and staff out to the regions, but this goes deeper and the players and management have been dragged in.

“And who is representing the players? I’d have massive concerns if I was a player, it’s a huge year for them, up against three of the best sides in the world next month, then the Six Nations, then the Lions. A couple of poor performances in the autumn might have a bearing on the end of the season.”